Initially graced our screens when the whole world was enclosed within four walls, Outer Banks is one of the few shows that provided us with an “adventure of a lifetime.” Hailed as “nothing short of spectacular,” it has completed three seasons, and we are now advancing toward the fourth one.
But…
We have officially entered the fourth quarter of 2023, and we are bound to ask the whereabouts of the fourth season. Unfortunately, we don’t see any positive sign for it to release this year anymore.
Renewed for a fourth season at the Poguelandia fan event in Huntington Beach, the creators are only spiking the anticipation in their fans’ minds, as they want to live vicariously through streaming the episodes replete with twists and turns.
Dovetailing riveting plotlines and captivating characters, the third season of Outer Banks has made all the fans of the show lose their minds as they dove into the latest adventure. Enthralling the audience yet again and spiking the stakes higher than ever before, Outer Banks season 3 follows the tradition of its predecessors by boasting an infallible amalgamation of romance, mystery, and adventure.
From its jaw-dropping plot twists and unexpected betrayals to oh-no-I-did-not-see-that-coming moments, the third season of Outer Banks has been successful in keeping the fans perched on the edge of their seats. That being said, fans are wondering whether the fate of the show, which once garnered a seat in the Netflix Top 10, will be sealed after its fourth installment.
But currently, the fans are more concerned about the production status of the show, given that the looming strikes, the latest being the SAG AFTRA strike, has affected a bunch of high-end shows. Does Outer Banks also belong to the same category?
Here’s what we know so far about it.
Outer Banks season 4 Release date: When can we expect it to arrive on Netflix?
Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara in the show, told People during the Coachella event that production on Outer Banks season 4 would begin in the summer of 2023 in Charleston. According to the last production listing released by Production Weekly, season 4 of Outer Banks began production on June 12, 2023, and is scheduled to wrap by December 15, 2023. Based on the release schedules of the previous seasons, we can expect the season to stay in the post-production process for approximately 15-18 months.
Primarily because of the pandemic, there have been significant gaps between the predecessors of the series, including a 15-month gap between seasons 1 and 2, followed by a 19-month gap between season 2 and season 3.
If the production process of Outer Banks season 4 started in June 2023, we speculate it would wrap by the end of the year. This means that we can have the brand-new installment of the series on Netflix by the spring of 2024. However, this assumption does not take into account the possible production delays owing to any cause under the sun, which can push back the expected release time frame.
One such cause is the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike that began on July 14, 2023. Owing to this strike, the production of Outer Banks season 3 has halted, considering that WGA and SAG-AFTRA, that is, the cohort of writers and actors, are striking together for better pay and other benefits.
Per 7 News WSPA, Kimmie Stewart Casting, who is the casting agency behind the show, has confirmed that the filming has been suspended. The notice also read:
“Effective now we have suspended filming.
We will keep everyone updated as we receive information.”
Filming will only resume once a fair deal has been reached.
Under such circumstances, the release date is indefinitely postponed. Until a fair deal is reached, we don’t expect the latest season to arrive on our screens. Per our assumptions, that can perhaps happen in late 2024.
What can we expect to happen in Outer Banks season 4?
Outer Banks season 3 finale has set the stage for the revelation of the treasure that the previous seasons so sacredly protected. Sarah and John B are successful in finding El Dorado deep in the verdant South American jungle. They gather all the gold they can do and go back to Big John, who is anticipating their arrival at the mouth of the cavernous area, nursing his gunshot wound. However, the skirmish between Singh, John B, Sarah, and Big John leads to the mountain collapse.
Fortunately, our favorite trio is able to escape and meet outside the cave with Ward, who is going red in rage and is hungry for gold. However, before he can do any harm, the Pogues attack Ward with machetes. Just when you thought things would calm down, Ryan, one of Singh’s men, appears and threatens to execute everyone and pillage the gold. In a surprising turn of events, a brawl ensues between Ryan and Ward, which leads the duo to tumble off the climb and, consequently, their deaths.
Before the Pogues leave the jungle, they hold a funeral for John B and Sarah’s dad.
Featuring a time-lapse of 18 months, a new museum opens up in the Outer Banks, which is dedicated to the Royal Merchant, Denmark Tanny, El Dorado, and the Pogues, who have compiled all the pieces together. In the end, John B, Sarah, Pope, JJ, Kiara, and Cleo are revered by the town. Towards the conclusion, the Pogues give a glimpse of what they’ve been up to. For instance, Kiara is saving turtles, Pope is at school, and Sarah and John B are working at a shop.
But things do not end on such a good note. The arrival of a mysterious man, Wes Genrette, shakes things up, especially when he asks if the Pogues are ready for another treasure hunt. This time, they will have to go after the treasure of Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard.
Talking about how things ended in OBX Season 3, Madison Bailey said, “I like the ending because I’ve always thought that they need to find something more sustainable for their love of treasure.
“I think this is a job opportunity. It’s less about finding the gold and more ‘Here’s a way you can take that and explore it’. It could turn out that he has malicious intent. But at least we’re chasing something because this is just like what we like doing.” (via Digital Spy)
Here’s what Netflix Tudum contends regarding the fourth season of Outer Banks:
“As of now, the future of the Pogues is still in an “embryonic” stage, according to Jonas Pate, although we know they’ll be reckoning with the infamous Blackbeard in Season 4 after an 18-month time jump. “We have some big ideas that we’re still tinkering with,” he says. One thing that’s already been mapped out, however, is the series’ ultimate ending. That’s one key piece that all three writers are on the same page about. “We’ve always known from the beginning what the last scene would be if we would be lucky enough to get it that far,” Josh Pate says. But Burke adds that there’s “a lot of dark, blank space” before reaching that final moment.”
Speaking to TVLine about the emotionally filled finale that culminated in several deaths, Stokes said, “When I saw the scripts, I was like, ‘Oh, thanks, Jonas [Pate], Josh [Pate] and Shannon [Burke]. You’re really kinda throwing me for a loop here, but the challenge was accepted, and I’m really proud of the work we did this year.”
Moreover, actress Madelyn Cline, who plays Sarah in the show, added that the season concluded in a “really, really painful place of resolve.” If this is how the cast feels about the third season, what can we expect to happen in season four?
In addition, Carlacia Grant is brewing certain theories of her own. In conversation with Cosmopolitan, she was provided with the chance to unravel some of them, saying:
“I have some theories. I don’t want to ruin them, but I would love to see Cleo’s backstory. Like if a person came back from Cleo’s past to really explain some of her mannerisms. It’s Outer Banks. Her mom died, her dad left, but any of these people could appear somehow.”
Speaking to Today, Chase Stokes shared his insights regarding the future of the Pogues, saying:
“I think part of the pacing of a show is like flying on a plane. Nobody really cares about how the plane takes off, it’s how it lands. And so for us to get to a point to slow it down, you needed to have some sort of resolution.”
“I think the fans will be very pleased to know that there will be a lot more slowing down and a lot more of the Pogues in the future. I think it’s important for them to reflect on a lot of the things that have happened in the past 30 episodes.”
Recently, as per the clip shared by Chase Stokes during Tudum: A Global Fan Event in Brazil, Kiara (Madison Bailey) and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) are seen blowing kisses to the camera while Pope (Jonathan Daviss) is reading An Ugly Truth and “throwing up Woogity Woogitys.” Meanwhile, JJ (Rudy Pankow) is relaxing on his surfboard, and Cleo (Carlacia Grant) is refining her knife techniques. What do you think John B (Stokes) is doing?
Take a wild guess.
He is all set to jump in the Twinkie with the gang.
What does this mean for what’s to come next?
Here’s what Netflix Tudum has to say:
“…the next phase of #P4L has only just begun with the hunt for Blackbeard’s gold on the horizon. And the cast of Outer Banks are more than ready for it. In fact, they’re already back on Kildare Island, reportin’ for duty.”
Who are the expected cast members of Outer Banks season 4?
Owing to the lack of information on production and related processes of the fourth season of Outer Banks, it is difficult to presume accurately who will feature in the upcoming season of the show. However, we do expect the following cast members to be there in the upcoming season:
- Chase Stokes as John B
- Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron
- Madison Bailey as Kiara Carrera
- Jonathan Daviss as Pope Heyward
- Rudy Pankow as JJ Maybank
- Carlacia Grant as Cleo
- Drew Starkey as Rafe Cameron
- Austin North as Topper Thornton
- Nicholas Cirillo as Barry
Taking into consideration the fate of Big John, we don’t expect Charles Halford, who plays the role, to be featured in the fourth season, along with Charles Esten as Ward Cameron.
Although the following cast members had limited roles in season 3, we still expect them to reprise their roles in the fourth season:
- Caroline Arapoglou as Rose Cameron
- Julia Antonelli as Wheezie Cameron
- David Jensen as Wes Genrette
As per the reports, Jonas Pate, Josh Pate, and Shannon Burke are confirmed to be co-creators/showrunners/executive producers for Outer Banks season 4.
Will there be Outer Banks Season 5?
During the Poguelandia event mentioned at the beginning of the article, the streaming service did not mention whether the fourth season would be the final season. This might implicitly point to the continuation of the show even after season 4. Not only that, but the creative team also seems ready with mapped-out stories that would certainly go beyond season 4, where the show’s fate might continue for at least a few more seasons.
The creators of the show have remained tight-lipped on the renewal of the fifth season as of this moment. However, speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the future of the show, co-creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke hinted at the longevity of the show.
Josh said, “I don’t know if I could put a real number on it right now. How long it takes to get to that ending might expand, but we now know the shape of the end of the story. We’re going to take it as long as we can, for sure.”
Jokingly, Jonas added, “In season 17, we’ll be on Mars.” Well, we’ll like to see our favorite cast members juggle with their fates on another planet as well. Wouldn’t we?
On a scale of 1-10, how thrilled are you to stream Outer Banks season 4 on Netflix? Drop your answers in the comment section below!
Don’t forget to stay tuned to Web News Observer for more release date updates on Outer Banks season 4!